Tag: bluebell

nature, painting

Fun in the garden

Nannie RaRa

I’ve been doing some whimsical watercolour paintings. My ten year-old grandson has been my artistic director – making suggestions for additions to the paintings.

Fun in the garden: “This way, quickly!”

The family are playing among the plants, but watch out! The monster is creeping out from the back of the painting to get them. The oldest shows the others the way to safety. It is also interesting the way the succulent has escaped from the painting.

Fun in the garden: Hide and seek

This picture started out as a painting of spring flowers – honesty, bluebells and forget-me-nots which were growing in my garden. Then the toy family decided to hide amongst the flowers. Can you find them?

Fun in the garden: Caterpillars for lunch

Out walking one day we came across a young bluetit that had fallen from its nest. I photographed it before moving it to the side of the path. I painted the bluetit from the photograph, then as it looked hungry got one of the toy family to feed it a caterpillar. My grandson suggested the youngest in the family should climb on the back of the bluetit.

At the top of the painting is a caterpillar on some oak leaves. Another caterpillar is either leaving or entering the painting. Which do you think it is doing?

Let me know what you think of these paintings.

nature

Signs of spring

Nannie RaRa

Today, on my walk in the countryside and looking round my garden, I noticed so many signs of spring.

There is a lone aconite with its bright yellow petals, still showing the rain or dew on its leaves.

aconite
Aconite

The first purple crocuses were out. They are in a flower bed with a south facing wall behind them.

crocuses
Crocuses

My wild strawberry has a flower. In my garden are several wild strawberries which must have been seeded by the birds. I’m looking forward to eating the sweet fruits later in the year.

wild strawberry
Wild strawberry

The snowdrops are pushing up through the grass. I have seen some already out in a neighbour’s sheltered spot.

snowdrop

The Christmas rose (Hellebore) has a flower ready to burst open. Although they are called Christmas rose mine never flower then.

Christmas rose
Christmas rose

I’ve had lots of daffodils showing their leaves but today I noticed a flower bud. I love seeing the narcissi out – the yellow of daffodils really is the colour of spring.

Daffodils
Daffodils

The violets have had flowers all  winter, hiding their heads under the leaves. I have some other wild violets which will not flower until later in the spring.

Violets
Violets

The buds on the horse chestnut are fattening and becoming sticky.

Horse chestnut buds
Horse chestnut buds

In the woods the bluebells are pushing their way through the fallen leaves. The beautiful scent as you walk through carpets of bluebells is well worth waiting for.

Bluebells
Bluebells

All in all this bright sunny day heralds spring.